King's Business - 1912-04

it ( Lk .6:11). ( J ) Ma ydine o u t i f w e p l e a se ( Lk .14:1); m a yg o t o t h e S y n a- g o g ue ( Ch u r c h) a n dwill g o i f w e follow H i s e x a mp le (Mat .12:9), a n d obey H i s w o rd (He b . 10:25); m a yvisit t h esick a n d m i n i s t er t o t h em ( Lk . 4:38, 39) ;o r t h eh o s - p i t al w h e re invalids l a n g u i sh i n w a n t o f a. f r i e n d ly h a n d, o r w o rd ( J n o . 5:1-16); o r m a y a n o i nt t h eblind w i th t h eissue o fo u r l i ps a n dp e r s u a de t o t h ew a t e r s o f Siloam (Jno. 9:7) ; o r m a ye n c o u r a ge t h e w i t h e r ed h a n d t o s t r e t ch itself f o r th i n service ( Lk . 6:6-11); o r bi d some c a p t i ve o f S a t an t o s t a n d u p r i g ht ( Lk . 13:16); w em a y go into t h e s l um a n d c a st o u t u n c l e an spirits (Lk. 4:35). We a r ef r e e t o rejoice a n db e glad, i f a s C h r i s t i a ns w e "d o al l t o th e «lor y o f God " ( I Cor .10:31).; "Judgin g this , tha t n o ma n pu t a stumblin gbloc k or occasio nt o fal l I n hi s brother' sway "

t h e So no f Ma n . S o H e a p p o i n t ed t h em "tha t the y migh t b e wit h Him ,an d tha t H e migh tsen dthe mforth ,an dt o hav e au - thorit y t o cas t ou t demons " ( Ma rk 3 : 14, 15. ) II . HO WTHE YWER EAPPOINTED . 1. B y Prayer , "H e wen t u p int o a mountai n t o pray , an d continue d al l nigh ti n prayer " ( L u ke 6:12.) W h a t a m y s t e r y! t h eP r a y er H e a r er p r a y i n g' ( J o hn 14:14); Wisdom- s e e k i ng w i s d om ( I Cor .1:24).. H e "wen t int o a mountain " t o g e t f u r t h e r f r om t h e wo r ld a n d n e a r er t o h e a v e n; H e "continue dal l night, " i . e . u n t il h o u rs o f w o r k i ng r e - t u r n e d. T h e f o u n d a t i on stones o f t h e L i v i ng T emp le w e re t o b e selected; ( E p h . 2:20); t h e over Lord's o f t h e e v e r l a s t i ng K i n g d om w e re t o b e chosen ( L u ke 22:30); t h e n a m es t h a t a r et o b e inscribed o nt h e j a s p er a n d s a p p h i re s t o n es o f t h eN e w J e r u s a l em (Re v . 21:18-20); a n dm o re i m - p o r t a nt still, "th e steward so f th e mani - fol d grac e o f God " ( I P e t .4:10). G r e at w a s t h e n e ed o f g u i d a n c e; h e n ce H e prayed. (2 ) B y Hi s Ow n Sovre nChoice . "H e callet hwho mH e himsel fwoul d (A .R . V . ) " He would h a ve n o c o n g r e ss t o r a t i fy t h e choice o f H i sc a b i n et H e chooses H i s a g e n t s b e f o re t h ey a r e born ( J e r . 1 : 5 ) ; L u k e 1:15,, 76 , 77 ; Gal .1:15.) H e k n e w, a nd g a ve t h em special calls f r om t h eb e - g i n n i ng ( J o hn 1:40-51; M a rk 1:16, 20 ;2:14.) Yet t h ey ( J o hn 1:35-49) w e re first called by a p r e a c h er ( J n o .1:35); a n d chose t o follow Christ f r e e l y. T h e se my s t e r i e s, p a r a d o x e s ,—t he L o rd p r a y i n g, a n d p r a y i ng a b o ut t h e choice o f me na i r e a dy c h o s e n; a n d t h em e nc h o o s i ng H i mb e c a u se H eh a d a n d would choose t h e m; al l t h is i s proof t h a t i t i s God's doing, a n dGod's record, f o r men wo u ld n o th a ve i n v e n t ed it . 3. H e Gav e The m Officia lTitle , "who m als o H e name dApostles " ( L u ke 6:13). Il l WH OTHE YWERE . 1. Thei rNames . F i r s t Simon, w h om H eP e t er names, And An d r e w, h i s b r o t h er h e ; N e xt J a m e s a n dJ o h n, t h eb r o t h er o f James" Two s o ns o f Zebedee, Wh om B o a n e r g e s, Sons o f T h u n d e r, J e s us called, n o ww h y ? X wo n d e r- Philip, a n d B a r t h o l o m e w, T h is l a st i s called N a t h a n i e l, t o o ; T h o m as a n dJ a m e s, A l p h a e us s o n ; Ma t t h e w, o r Levi, t h e P u b l i c a n; Simon, t h e Zealot, C a n a n a e a n; T h a d d a e us ( J u d a s) o f J ame s, h e ' sn o t J u d a s, t h et r a i t o r, Iscariot. ?V , T h e l r Training . H e chose t h em ( J o hn 6:70), t o ok t h em into infinite f e l - l ow s h ip (Mat. 13:10, 11 ;16:13-21; 17:1-8 19 - 20:17; J o hn 13:1;—17:26); le d t h em o u t ( L u ke 6:12-49); s e nt t h em o u t(Mat . 11:1); a n d a f t e r H i sr e s u r r e c t i on "showe dHim - sel f aliv eb y man yinfallibl e proofs " ( A c ts 1:3); c o n v i n c i ng t h em o f H i s r e s u r r e c t i o n; a n d o f h i s n e a r n e ss a n d p r e s e n ce w i th t h e m, b y a p p e a r i ng a t intervals, a n do n mo st u n l o o k ed f o roccasions ( J o hn 20:14- L u k e 24:15; J o hn 20:19, 26 ;21:7; Acts 9:5) ' 3. S oThe y Q u a l i f i e d a s Apostles . F o ra n a p o s t le m u s t b e o n w h o( i y h a d seen t h e L o rd ( I Cor .9 : 1 ) ;(2 ) could t e s t i fy a s a n eye w i t n e ss t h a t H eh a drisen (Acts 1:22 ; J Co r .15:15); (3 ) h a dbeen commissioned b y Christ's o w nHp s (Gal .1 : 1 ) ;(4 ) w a s s u p e r n a t u r a l ly inspired ( J o hn 14:26; 16-13- Gal. 1:13 , 14 ;I Thes. 2:13); (5 )w a sg i f t ed w i th m i r a c u l o us p ow er 2 Cor .12:12- (6 ) a u t h o r i z ed t o f o u nd t h eC h u r ch ( I ' C a r; 3 -

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